The migrants were temporarily staying there pending a labour agent transporting them to Malaysia, authorities said.

At around 1am yesterday, officials led by Sadao district clerk Napol Pahumanto arrested the migrants at a shack at the plantation in Tambon Sanak Kham. One migrant escaped.

An arrested migrant identified only as Mia, 30, told officials that the group was brought to the plantation by a labour agent who had not charged them to take them to Malaysia to work.

The migrants were brought to Sadao Police Station before being deported.